Imagine a 15 mph city speed limit
A 15 mph speed limit in Moses Lake? Well, there was a time. Read on.
E-mail from Cheryl
Facts from the past gleaned from the Moses Lake Herald, Columbia Basin Herald and The Neppel Record by Cheryl (Driggs) Elkins:
From the CBH on June 10, 1980:
City rescinded speed limit (15 mph) Friday
The 15 mph speed limit imposed on all city streets in Moses Lake was rescinded Friday afternoon, City Manager Joe Gavinski said today.
“The decision was made before the staff meeting that afternoon,” Gavinski said
Gavinski made a clarification of information received by the Columbia Basin Daily Herald Monday that the 15 mph speed limit is still in effect, but not being enforced.
The normal, posted speed limits in town are now in effect, Gavinski said. The 15 mph signs posted throughout town have been removed.
Before the decision to allow normal vehicle travel in the city was announced Friday, the city was served with a writ of prohibition by a Moses Lake resident who was cited for traveling 25 mph in a 15 mph zone. Jay Voth of Moses Lake and his attorney, Harry Ries, will go to Grant County Superior Court in an attempt to prohibit District Court Judge James Wickwire from enforcing citations written when the 15 mph speed limit was in effect.
“They’re going for a blanket deal on the speeding tickets,” Gavinski said. “We shouldn’t have any trouble with citations written for negligent driving and driving too fast for conditions during that time.”
Moses Lake attorney Monte Skaggs has been retained by the city to research the legal action. Gavinski said he may provide a preliminary report on the matter during tonight’s city council meeting.
Named as defendants in the writ are Gavinski, Mayor Bob Hill and Police Chief Dennis Wetmore.
The writ claims the defendants reduced the speed limit without proper authorization and in excess of their jurisdiction.
The writ directed the city to “cease and desist” in its attempts to execute and enforce the 15 mph speed limit, or appear in Grant County Superior Court at 9:30 a.m. Friday.
Farmers to meet Friday
Ten Moses Lake farmers who’ve formed the Concerned Citizens Committee will discuss the effect volcanic fallout will have on the future of Moses Lake.
Meeting at 8 p.m. Friday at the Moses Lake High School cafeteria, individual members of the committee will give reports and presentations on their assigned topics.
It’s an informational meeting, say the organizers, scheduled for farmers, businessmen and citizens who’d like to hear the information the committee has acquired.
The meeting isn’t being scheduled as a public hearing. Questions will be answered by the committee.
The citizens’ group has made contacts with congressmen and received important information from lending institutions. Questions will be answered about taxes, water and insurance.
“We’re trying to learn what short and long-term effects the ash will have on our futures,” said Cathy Steffler who’s been working for the committee.
Representatives of the Farmers Home Administration and the ASCS will be present. Also working to organize the meeting has been Barbara Sandmann.
Heaverlo’s undefeated; M’s tip Bosox in 13
Juan Beniquez seems to be in a hurry to make up for lost time.
Acquired by the Seattle Mariners from the New York Yankees in the off-season, Beniquez spent the first 52 games of the 1980 season on the bench nursing a right shoulder that he dislocated during spring training.
Beniquez saw his first action Sunday night and won his first game Monday night with a 13th-inning home run that gave the Mariners an 8-7 decision over the Boston Red Sox.
Another new Mariner who’s been making up for lost time away from his native Northwest is reliever Dave Heaverlo, acquired by Seattle from the Oakland A’s the first week of the season.
Heaverlo, from Moses Lake, won his fourth straight game of the season by holding the big Boston bats to only one hit over two and two-thirds innings while he waited for his teammates’ home run help in the 11th and 13th frames for the victory.
Heaverlo relieved Shane Rawley when Boston scored a go-ahead run in the top of the 11th, retiring two batters. In the Mariner half of the inning, Bruce Bochte hammered a game-tying home run that forced Heaverlo to keep working. Then Beniquez powered the game-winner in the 13th.
From the Columbia Basin Herald on July 10, 1952:
Lunsford wins A-Main event in stock races
Les Lunsford (98) of Ephrata took the A-main event in Sunday’s stock car races on the Legion Speedway, before a fair sized crowd that stayed in their own cars to get out of the dust.
Digger O’Dell (88) came in second followed by Histon Robinson (19) of Quincy, Roy Fuller (8) of Moses Lake and Louie Vitolo (77) of Soap Lake.
A Soap Lake man, Chuck Frazer, took the B-main, with only four cars running, following by Jack Sitton of Wilbur.
Best time was Curt Elshire’s, followed by Buzz Reed and Wayne Gardner. Eishire took the trophy dash to add to his points. Heat winners were Harold Chapman, Vitolo and O’Dell. The track was fast, smoother than before, with more work promised before the July 20 race. The Columbia Basin Stock Car Racing Association plans races here every other Sunday for the rest of the summer.